Grounded and focused, Sachin Yadav sets sight on World Championships

New Delhi: Standing 6’5’’ Sachin Yadav towers over all present at the media interaction event on Thursday, ahead of the Indian contingent’s departure to Gumi, South Korea for the 26th Asian Athletics Championships.

But the moment he sits down to speak with reporters, his demeanor transforms.

With his head bowed and constant nodding in acknowledgement of questions, he responds with the patience of a seasoned campaigner.

“My main focus is the world championships,” he tells The Bridge.

An ambitious statement, one might think. But perhaps not entirely.

After all, we live in the times of Neeraj Chopra, whose pioneering work has galvanised an entire generation which now aspires to replicate his success.

And Sachin is one of them.

Support from idol

“My idol is Neeraj Chopra,” he says, almost blushing, as if he were revealing the name of his newfound love interest.

No sooner does he mention Neeraj, the questions fly think and fast.

Have you ever met him? What do you two talk about?

Sachin shrugs, as if disappointed over not having met his idol in person thus far, but is quick to acknowledge that Neeraj has ‘shown the way’ and is a source of constant reassurance.

“Yes, I keep getting messages. He keeps telling me that brother you are doing well, keep doing it. Just don't get demotivated by telling yourself and keep doing your best,” he says, as if to reassure himself that the best in the business is watching over and lending a helping hand.

In his short stint on the domestic javelin circuit so far, Sachin has shown more than just an occasional stroke of promise.

At the National Games earlier this year, he registered a personal best of 84.39m despite slipping on his very first throw.

Injuries do worry him. In 2021, an elbow injury was a setback, but since 2023, his career has been on the ascendency and the National Games gold was further vindication of the immense potential he possesses.

Yet, he remains grounded and focused on the job at hand – training.

Solitude in training

Such is his focus that he prefers to not have any one else around, barring his guruji, when training.

“I mostly practice alone. I don't practice in front of anyone. this is a technical game. Even if someone comes in front of us, our mind goes out. If there is a disturbance, then we are not able to focus. That is why we like to do it alone,” he explains.

And for that reason, his training sessions are either late in the evening or between six and eight in the mornings.

At the Asian Athletics Championships, Sachin Yadav will have his work cut out. But the 25-year-old has a clear-cut goal in mind.

“I’m going there to qualify for the world championship.”

With Neeraj Chopra as his idol and armed with a desired to improve and better himself with every outing, this gentle giant soldiers on with purpose.

“I'll try to do a lot better with all my effort so that my fellow Indians don’t feel let down,” he concludes, with his now characteristic nod.